No. 50 - Missing Internet ⫶ Hiding in Plain Sight ⫶ Case studies in Computing Ethics
Safe, sturdy and stable technology
My name is Linda. I write a bi-weekly newsletter about computer science, childhood and culture - and there are 9 721 of you listening. If you enjoy this issue, please share it with anyone you think may find it useful.
This video is a few years old, but we got around to publishing it only now. It's a story about the search for a missing Internet, featuring a Wes Andersonesque fixing crew on a mission, and a message of appreciation for Helsinki, the most functional technology city in the world.
It was a joyful project to work on, and I especially enjoyed crafting the script and planning the shots. Looking back, it's always fascinating to see how something leaps from the pages and turns into reality.
Despite the shooting day being one of the coldest of the year, the small cast members exceeded every expectation. (We were all huddled under blankets just moments before shooting the scene by the spruce).
Thank you everyone -
Director of Photography: Severi Laine
Art Director: Anna-Kaisa Melvas
Executive Produxer: Emma Alftan
Gaffer: Jori Asikainen
Cast
Melak Al-Taee
Amelie Tähtinen
Elli Alroth
Production coordinator: Osmo Nunoo
Assistant AD: Jenni Veijonen
Production assistant: Emilia Raussi
Make up and hair: Sanna Liljamo
Editor: Severi Laine
I have the strong suspicion that most of us spend our days thinking the Internet is invisible. Until it is not.
It is beautifully not invisible, not at all.
But then, technology IS often hidden in our lives. We hide the routers behind furniture, cross our fingers to make the wi-fi work, walk past electricity boxes without ever wondering what is inside of it.
We’re told our data is “in the cloud,” a distant, abstract place.
First time I went looking for the Internet in Helsinki, I realised, it is actually everywhere around us: it’s bundles of physical wires, electricity boxes, manhole covers and racks of metal.
Most of the time we don’t need to think about the underlying infrastructure, we only see what Internet makes possible.
A photo of your oldest friend.
Best sushi you’ve had in Helsinki.
A video with a a funny dog.
Puddles of curiosity, connection and joy.
And it is people who wake up in the morning to make sure this digital infrastructure works.
The most functional city in the world is all about safe, sturdy and stable technology.
But place influences the kind of technology we build far more than we realise.
Finns use the most mobile data in the world.
There is a universal service obligation that ensures everyone has access to an effective internet connection.
And our love with technology in Helsinki, it runs deep.
I think every region has a specialty. The old hubs of genius like Athens, London and Florence all had their own.
Athens did philosophy.
London did poetry and plays.
Florence did painting and sculpture.
Helsinki is safe and pleasant, smooth, easy and caring. And so is our technology. And that is our specialty.
Technology that connects.
Technology that.. works.
Linked List
In computer science, a linked list is a linear collection of data elements whose order is not given by their physical placement in memory. But here it is a selection of things I’ve been reading lately.
Hiding in Plain Sight. An activity I would absolutely pair with this video. Go out, find the Internet!
MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, which I’ve been following closely, just released a few case studies on computing, AI and ethics. In my short career in business school case studies were among my favorite ways to learn, and it seems so smart to write compelling and interesting case studies for engineering students. (Pair with ChatGPT writing its own cases!)
Fictional Brands Archive made me smile. Some day these companies might have as extensive backstories as the real ones.
Classroom
I’m hoping to surface and share stories from all of you and I’d love to see your creations! Here are a few teachers using Ruby in creative, fun and inspiring ways.
